The present invention is suitable to a high resolution high value added video transfer method using artificial natural Images, a high resolution high value added video processing apparatus, a high resolution high value added video processing method, a high resolution high value added video transfer system, and a storage medium, and in particular to a video transfer apparatus utilizing a dynamic image compression and expansion method.
When transmitting or storing image data, the amount of image data which can be treated as one picture is uniquely determined. When transmitting or storing a large image (high resolution image), therefore, image data forming the above described large image is cut out as image data of a treatable size, the resolution was lowered by thinning, or the image data is divided into a plurality of tile patterns before being transmitted or stored.
If image data forming the large image is cut out or the resolution is lowered, the picture quality is significantly hampered. In the case where a high resolution picture is divided into a plurality of tile patterns and transmitted by using respectively different transmission, it is necessary to ensure paths of a plurality of pictures forming one high resolution picture. Furthermore, since synchronization between a plurality of pictures is required, the apparatus scale is enlarged and implementation is difficult. Furthermore, since a high resolution picture is divided into a plurality of tile patterns and transmission is conducted by using a single transmission path, the transmission path is required to bear an excessive heavy load and there is a problem in arrival time of data of one picture.
The dynamic image compression and expansion method is standardized as standards. A method which will have a higher efficiency (such as achievement of a higher compression factor) in the future is adopted. In the field of stored media and communication, an environment of utilization is being put in good condition.
In the dynamic image compression and expansion method thus standardized and put to practical use widely, natural video images (movie and television video images) are subjected to compression and expansion which do not give a sense of incompatibility in human eyesight. The compression factor is thus increased. As a result, the amount of data to be transmitted and received or stored in a storage medium is significantly reduced.
However, direct application of the dynamic image compression and expansion method standardized and put in good condition of the utilization environment to a large image (high resolution image) such as a picture on a computer, a presentation picture, a security picture, or a television conference picture which is such a dynamic image that there is little change in most areas whereas a narrow area frequently changes is limited by resolution. In the case where a high resolution picture is divided into a plurality of tile patterns and the above described dynamic image compression method is applied successively to pictures resulting from the division as in the conventional technique, there is no correlation at all between pictures resulting from the division, and consequently the original merit of the dynamic image compression method (i.e., realization of highly efficient compression by using correlation between pictures) cannot be obtained. As a result, a high resolution picture cannot be transferred or stored efficiently.
In view of the above described problems, an object of the present invention is to make it possible to efficiently transfer or store video images each having a larger size than a standardized video size, by making the most of the utilization environment of the dynamic image compression and expansion standardized and put to practical use.
A high resolution high value added video processing apparatus of the present invention is characterized in that the high resolution high value added video processing apparatus includes: a window setting means for setting a window in a high resolution picture, the window being smaller than the picture; a window moving means for moving the window set by the window setting means at such a predetermined interval that an area in which the window and at least an adjacent window overlap each other exists; an image cutout means for cutting out an image of an area defined by the window, whenever the window is moved; and a picture generation means for generating a large picture by conducting dynamic image processing on images cut out by the image cutout means.
In accordance with another feature of a high resolution high value added video processing apparatus of the present invention, a high resolution high value added video processing apparatus for cutting out an image of an area defined by a window from a high resolution picture, and conducting dynamic image compression, transfer and expansion on the cut out image is characterized in that the high resolution high value added video processing apparatus includes: a window moving means for moving the window at such a predetermined interval that an area in which the window and at least an adjacent window overlap each other exists; an image cutout means for cutting out an image of an area defined by the window, in a position whereto the window has moved; a picture generation means for generating a large picture by conducting dynamic image processing on images cut out by the image cutout means; a changed portion detection means for detecting a changed portion included in the high resolution picture; a window moving means for moving the window to a changed portion included in the high resolution picture and detected by the changed portion detection means; and a moving control means for exercising control so as to cause the movement of the window to become movement over whole picture area, when a changed portion has not been detected in the high resolution picture by the changed portion detection means.
In accordance with another feature of a high resolution high value added video processing apparatus of the present invention, the high resolution high value added video processing apparatus is characterized in that the changed portion detection means detects a changed portion by extracting a parameter linked to a picture change as regards an overlap area of adjacent windows.
A high resolution high value added video processing method of the present invention is characterized in that the high resolution high value added video processing method includes: window setting processing for setting a window in a high resolution picture, the window being smaller than the picture; window moving processing for moving the window set by the window setting processing at such a predetermined interval that an area in which the window and at least an adjacent window overlap each other exists; image cutout processing for cutting out an image of an area defined by the window, whenever the window is moved; and picture generation processing for generating a large picture by conducting dynamic image processing on images cut out by the image cutout processing.
In accordance with another feature of a high resolution high value added video processing method of the present invention, a high resolution high value added video processing method for cutting out an image of an area defined by a window from a high resolution picture, and conducting dynamic image compression, transfer and expansion on the cut out image is characterized in that the high resolution high value added video processing method includes: window moving processing for moving the window at such a predetermined interval that an area in which the window and at least an adjacent window overlap each other exists; image cutout processing for cutting out an image of an area defined by the window, in a position whereto the window has moved; picture generation processing for generating a large picture by conducting dynamic image processing on images cut out by the image cutout processing; changed portion detection processing for detecting a changed portion included in the high resolution picture; window moving processing for moving the window to a changed portion included in the high resolution picture and detected by the changed portion detection processing; and moving control processing for exercising control so as to cause the movement of the window to become movement over whole picture area, when a changed portion has not been detected in the high resolution picture by the changed portion detection processing.
In accordance with another feature of a high resolution high value added video processing method of the present invention, the high resolution high value added video processing method is characterized in that the changed portion detection processing is conducted by extracting a parameter linked to a picture change as regards an overlap area between adjacent windows.
A high resolution high value added video transfer system of the present invention is characterized in that in the high resolution high value added video transfer system for cutting out an image of an area defined by a window from a high resolution picture, and conducting dynamic image compression, transfer and expansion on the cut out image, a transmission side includes: a window moving means for moving the window at such a predetermined interval that an area in which the window and at least an adjacent window overlap each other exists; an image cutout means for cutting out an image of an area defined by the window, in a position whereto the window has moved; a picture generation means for generating a large picture by conducting dynamic image processing on images cut out by the image cutout means; a changed portion detection means for detecting a changed portion included in the high resolution picture; a window moving means for moving the window to a changed portion included in the high resolution picture and detected by the changed portion detection means; and a moving control means for exercising control so as to cause the movement of the window to become movement over whole picture area, when a changed portion has not been detected in the high resolution picture by the changed portion detection means, and a reception side includes a picture reconstruction means for receiving and expanding a compressed result of an image of a whole picture area cut out in a window movement position and reconstructing it as a high resolution picture in case the reception side has a high resolution picture display means, and for receiving and expanding a compressed result of an image of a window area obtained by cutting out a partial changed area in the picture or a specified window area in the picture and reconstructing it as a standard resolution picture in case the reception side has only a standard resolution picture display means.
In accordance with another feature of a high resolution high value added video transfer system of the present invention, the high resolution high value added video transfer system is characterized in that when moving the window over the whole picture area of the high resolution picture and cutting out an image in the window area, a pattern of the window movement is fixedly defined.
In accordance with another feature of a high resolution high value added video transfer system of the present invention, the high resolution high value added video transfer system is characterized in that with an overlap portion of an image within each window area cut out by moving the window on the high resolution picture while causing overlap, control information containing at least position information of the cutout window, and cryptograph information are combined, and the control information and the cryptograph information are made unrecognizable in human eyesight.
In accordance with another feature of a high resolution high value added video transfer system of the present invention, the high resolution high value added video transfer system is characterized in that the transmission side includes: a first compression and transfer means for cutting out images of areas defined by the window corresponding to the whole picture area, generating an artificial dynamic image, and compressing and transferring the artificial dynamic image; and a second compression and transfer means for defining and cutting out only a changed portion in the high resolution picture by using the window, generating an artificial dynamic image, and compressing and transferring the artificial dynamic image, and the reception side includes: a high resolution picture generation means for receiving and expanding high resolution picture data corresponding to the whole picture area transferred from the first compression and transfer means and generating a high resolution picture; a storage means for holding high resolution picture data generated by the high resolution picture generation means; and an image data update means for replacing image data of a corresponding portion in image data stored in the storage means with image data of a changed portion in the high resolution picture transferred from the second compression and transfer means and thus conducting update.
A high resolution high value added video transfer method of the present invention is characterized in that in a high resolution high value added video transfer method for cutting out an image of an area defined by a window from a high resolution picture, and conducting dynamic image compression, transfer and expansion on the cut out image, the transmission side conducts: window moving processing for moving the window at such a predetermined interval that an area in which the window and at least an adjacent window overlap each other exists; image cutout processing for cutting out an image of an area defined by the window, in a position whereto the window has moved; picture generation processing for generating a large picture by conducting dynamic image processing on images cutout by the image cutout processing; changed portion detection processing for detecting a changed portion included in the high resolution picture; window moving processing for moving the window to a changed portion included in the high resolution picture and detected by the changed portion detection processing; and moving control processing for exercising control so as to cause the movement of the window to become movement over whole picture area, when a changed portion has not been detected in the high resolution picture by the changed portion detection processing, and the reception side conducts picture reconstruction processing for receiving and expanding a compressed result of an image of a whole picture area cut out in a window movement position and reconstructing it as a high resolution picture in case the reception side has a high resolution picture display means, and for receiving and expanding a compressed result of an image of a window area obtained by cutting out a partial changed area in the picture or a specified window area in the picture and reconstructing it as a standard resolution picture in case the reception side has only a standard resolution picture display means.
In accordance with another feature of a high resolution high value added video transfer method of the present invention, the high resolution high value added video transfer method is characterized in that when moving the window over the whole picture area of the high resolution picture and cutting out an image in the window area, a pattern of the window movement is fixedly defined.
In accordance with another feature of a high resolution high value added video transfer method of the present invention, the high resolution high value added video transfer method is characterized in that with an overlap portion of an image within each window area cut out by moving the window on the high resolution picture while causing overlap, control information containing at least position information of the cutout window, and cryptograph information are combined, and the control information and the cryptograph information are made unrecognizable in human eyesight.
In accordance with another feature of a high resolution high value added video transfer method of the present invention, the high resolution high value added video transfer method is characterized in that the transmission side conducts: first compression and transfer processing for cutting out images of areas defined by the window corresponding to the whole picture area, generating an artificial dynamic image, and compressing and transferring the artificial dynamic image; and second compression and transfer processing for defining and cutting out only a changed portion in the high resolution picture by using the window, generating an artificial dynamic image, and compressing and transferring the artificial dynamic image, and the reception side conducts: high resolution picture generation processing for receiving and expanding high resolution picture data corresponding to the whole picture area transferred by the first compression and transfer processing and generating a high resolution picture; storage processing for holding high resolution picture data generated by the high resolution picture generation processing; and image data update processing for updating image data stored by the storage processing with image data of a changed portion in the high resolution picture transferred by the second compression and transfer processing.
In accordance with another feature of a high resolution high value added video processing apparatus of the present invention, the high resolution high value added video processing apparatus is characterized in that the high resolution high value added video processing apparatus includes: a shooting means for shooting a plurality of unit images forming a part of a large image to be formed; a control means for controlling operation of the shooting means in a panning direction and a tilt direction so that a plurality of images shot by the shooting means will respectively have overlap areas; and a picture generation means for conducting dynamic image processing on the plurality of images shot by the shooting means and generating a large picture.
In accordance with another feature of a high resolution high value added video processing method, the high resolution high value added video processing method is characterized in that the high resolution high value added video processing method includes: shooting processing for shooting a plurality of unit images forming a part of a large image to be formed; control processing for controlling operation of the shooting processing in a panning direction and a tilt direction so that a plurality of images shot by the shooting processing will respectively have overlap areas; and picture generation processing for conducting dynamic image processing on the plurality of images shot by the shooting processing and generating a large picture.
A storage medium of the present invention is characterized in that a program for causing a computer to function is stored as each of the above described means.
In accordance with another feature of a storage medium of the present invention, a storage medium is characterized in that steps included in the above described method are stored so as to be readable from a computer.